Since 2001, academic studies have shown links between the disease and a chemical used in artificial butter flavor called diacetyl. Flavoring manufacturers have paid out more than $100 million as a result of lawsuits by people sick with popcorn workers lung over the past five years. One death from the disease has been confirmed.

But no federal laws regulate the chemical's use. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is still deciding what standards to set for workers who handle it. In late April, the head of OSHA, Assistant Secretary of Labor Edwin G. Foulke Jr., testified before Congress that the agency will begin inspecting microwave-popcorn factories this month.

While critics charge that OSHA has stalled, California is moving ahead. Here, state Assemblywoman Sally Lieber (D) has introduced a bill to ban the use of diacetyl.

I watched a two hour long special on this very thing.
The young man who was employed there, is very close to death due to his lungs and what they've had to endure.
I also read an entire page in some newspaper about it too. very daunting, awful news.
When I worked in Little Leagues snackbar for 6 months straight, almost everyday, as the President/chief cook/purchaser of food, etc. Frying up all that fried food made me terribly sick. My lungs suffered senseless.

__________________...Trials travel best when you're taking the transportation known as prayer...SLRC